Haiti President Writes Trump on Expiring TPS for Nationals

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Samuel Maxime

Editor-in-Chief

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (sentinel.ht) – President Jovenel Moise on Tuesday revealed that he had written a letter to U.S. President Donald J. Trump to urge the White House to extend Temporary Protective Status (TPS), which has granted stay and work permits in the United States for more than 50,000 Haitians following the 2010 earthquake, but is set to expire on July 22, 2017.

In two live interviews that aired on Scoop FM and Radio Television Caraibes, on a day marking his 100th day in office, the Head of State said he addressed the correspondence to President Trump a week prior, on May 11. Mr. Moise said he solicited the consideration for renewal of TPS by Mr. Trump.

The Haitian president said that the island nation would suffer a shock if it were expected to take in an influx of more than 50,000 of its citizens. He tied the impending event to the repressions by the Dominican Republic government which had not always received Haitian nationals warmly, “in a manner worthy of the natives of the Dominican Republic.”

As well, we learn from Rezo Nodwes that the Haitian Ambassador to the Unitedd States, Paul Altidor, also addressed a not regarding the matter to the Director of Homeland Security, John Kelly. Ambassador Altidor requested a meeting on the behalf and between the DHS director and the Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“The Haitian government strongly believes that the renewal of TPS, for a period of at least eighteen (18) months, is in the interest of Haiti and the United States” wrote the ambassador in Washington, D.C. in his letter to Mr. Kelly.